CWR logs first Orca pod sighting of 2022

||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH |||

Mark and Joe were with a pair of humpback whales on the Victoria waterfront when they received reports of multiple groups of killer whales in the vicinity of Active Pass. They set a course for Active Pass and were passing Clover Point by 1150. They picked up George off the rocks in front of his home north of Ten Mile Point, and the trio continued north for the whales.  

They were approaching Enterprise Reef at 1331 when George spotted a male killer whale travelling west from just outside of Active Pass. They watched the animal roll to his side and pec-slap, and many more began appearing. By this time, Mark had talked to Lisa Moorby on the North Pender Island shore and confirmed that she had seen over twenty animals pass her roughly an hour earlier, so they were expecting residents to be lagging behind a group of Bigg’s, confirmed as members of the T060’s along with their travelling associate T002B, that were seen from shore going east through Active Pass at ~1230. Sure enough, when they got alongside that first bull, Mark instantly recognized a rapidly sprouting J39. Always on the small side for his age, it seems that in his 18th year J39 is finally growing into his years. J38 was seen closer to the Galliano shoreline chasing a salmon and appeared successful in his efforts as several gulls followed behind him to pick up a few remaining scraps.

Over the next hour, Mark, Joe and George were able to confirm all of J pod but J19, though she was likely present in the large spread. The animals were trending northwest against an ebb current, foraging as they made their way up Trincomali Channel. J31 and J56 were foraging close together, near J27 and the surviving J14s. Successful predations by both J31 and J40 were observed, as both females carried their salmonid prey to the surface for a few breaths before scarfing it down.

Departing the foraging aggregation, the Mike 1 crew moved north in the channel to pick off a few solo individuals and two trios of northbound whales, including young J57 and J58. They left those J17s and J19s and moved north to find the apparent lead animal, J16, roughly a half-mile ahead. They ended the encounter off Wise Island at 1521 and eased south to begin the long trip home. A later shore report placed the whales reaching Porlier Pass at the north end of Galiano Island by 1650.